This invention generally relates to the art of connector assemblies, such as fiber optic connector assemblies, and particularly to a cable management system for such connector assemblies.
A connector assembly, such as a fiber optic connector assembly, typically includes some form of housing which mates with a complementary mating connector such as an optical fiber transmission device. The connector housing may terminate a plurality of cables which are to be interconnected with the complementary mating connector. For instance, the housing may include a plurality of passages for receiving ferrules terminated to the fiber cores of fiber optic cables.
The housings of such connector assemblies as described above typically include a rear face from which the cables emanate. With the ever-increasing miniaturization of the electronics and fiber optics in various industries, along with the accompanying miniaturization of connector assemblies as described above, considerable problems have been encountered in handling or managing the small cables which emanate from the connector housings. This is particularly true with angled connectors where the cables exit the rear face of a connector housing and extend at an angle, such as a right-angle away from the housing. Still further, a plurality of fiber optic cables often are terminated in a plurality of modules which are inserted into a connecting device which often is called an adapter. Such designs heretofore tend to be unduly complicated and expensive and increase the problems encountered in handling or managing the cables which emanate from the individual connector modules. The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a unique cable management system for such connector assemblies.
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved cable management system particularly for use in a fiber optic connector assembly. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system includes a receptacle and a plurality of fiber optic connector modules received by the receptacle. The connector modules terminate a plurality of fiber optic cables, with lengths of the cables extending away from rear ends of the modules. A cable management member is provided with an angled cavity within which the cables extend angularly from the rear ends of the connector modules. Complementary interengaging latch means are provided between the cable management member and each of the plurality of fiber optic connector modules for holding the cable management member in position at the rear ends of the modules.
According to one aspect of the invention, the angled cavity of the cable management member is divided into a plurality of separate angled channels for individually receiving the plurality of fiber optic cables. The angled channels are arranged in a side-by-side relationship, and the channels herein are at right-angles to the rear ends of the fiber optic connector modules.
According to another aspect of the invention, the cable management member includes a base part and a cover part. The base part has the angled cavity therein, and the cover part clamps to the base part with the cables in the cavity. The complementary interengaging latch means are provided between the fiber optic connector modules and both the base part and the cover part of the cable management member. Complementary interengaging second latch means are provided between the base part and the cover part to hold the parts together clamping the rear ends of the fiber optic connector modules and the cables therebetween. In the preferred embodiment, the cover part is connected to the base part by an integral living hinge.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.